Installing Mini-Fenders
With the weather starting to turn wet, it's time to make sure your fender game is up to the challenge. In today's post, we'll walk through installing our Mini-Fender set, so you can roll through the rain, without wearing the street. Let's dive in!
What you'll need:
Install
Now let's get to it! We'll start with the front fender, so grab that 5mm allen wrench and remove the nut from the back of the brake bolt (counter-clockwise).
The front wheel's easy to get a wrench into because you can just turn the bars to the side to expose the nut.
Keep track of the nut you removed and slide the brake out of the frame. Take note of any washers on the bolt, in this case we have two and we'll want the fender bracket right between them to keep everything snug.
The front fender's going to mount on the front of the fork but face the rear, so we'll need to slip the bracket between the rear of the fork and the tire. Just tilt and slide until the L-shaped bracket pops out the other side. Like so:
Now, slide the fender bracket onto the brake bolt with at least 1 washer between the bracket and the frame.
Replace the brake nut on the backside of the fork, but don't tighten it down all the way just yet.
We need to make sure the fender has clearance without resting on the tire, so move the bracket up and down on the brake bolt until it's at the height you'd like.
Now tighten the brake bolt back up all the way (clockwise this time).
And boom, the front fender is installed!
Installing the rear fender will be basically the exact same process, just three feet to the left. Begin by removing the brake bolt with your allen wrench (counter-clockwise).
It's in a tighter spot than the front bolt was with the frame right there, so it'll probably take a lot of half-turns, but you'll get it.
If you're riding fixed and don't have a rear brake, just take the fender down to the hardware store to grab a nut, bolt, and washers that'll fit. Or grab a rear brake, use it to mount the fender, and you can run the cables and lever whenever you decide you need more stopping power (that's what I'm doing here).
Now, place the fender on the brake bolt between the washers so that it'll point toward the back of the bike with the brake reinstalled.
Slide the brake bolt back in the frame and hand-tighten the nut so everything's snug but you can still make adjustments.
Adjust the fender to your preferred height again by sliding the bracket up or down on the brake bolt, and then tighten everything back up all the way with your wrench (clockwise).
And now you've got your rear fender on there!
All that's left to do is bask in your success. And go for a test ride, of course!
Congratulations, you and your bike are now ready for whatever the weather can throw your way!
Happy riding. We'll see you out there.
